Fret Sizes and Materials

Warmoth offers a range of fret sizes and materials to suit every player. Use the information below to determine the fret wire that works best for you. Dunlop fret numbers are provided for reference only. Actual fret measurements will vary slightly from batch to batch.

Standard Nickel/Silver Fret Wire

This is our standard fret wire. It is drawn from the finest 18% hard nickel/silver to give long life with steel strings. The composition of this fret wire, while called "nickel/silver," contains no silver at all. The ingredients are brass and nickel. Our nickel/silver fretwire is rated at HV 170 on the Vickers hardness scale.

Item Number

Width X Height

Description

Used By

6230

.080" X .037"

This is the smallest fret wire

Vintage Fender® necks

6130

.106" X .036"

Low and wide. Sometimes called "Medium Jumbo"

Many Gibson® necks

6105

.095" X .045"

Narrow and tall

Very popular choice

6150

.103" X .046"

Wide and tall. The standard "Jumbo"

Modern Fender American® necks

6100

.118" X .058"

A very large wire, almost scalloped feel

Common on Ibanez® necks

Stainless Steel Fret Wire

This is our premium fret wire. Stainless Steel is both harder and smoother than nickel/silver fretwire, offering superior longevity and a quick, glassy feel with negligible effect on tone. This makes it a great choice for those who use round-wound strings - notoriously hard on frets. Our top-quality, German-made Jescar fretwire is rated at HV 300 (+/-20) on the Vickers hardness scale.

Item Number

Width X Height

Description

Used By

SS6230

.080" X .043"

Small vintage Fender Size

Vintage Fender® necks

SS6105

.095" X .047"

Narrow and tall

Most popular choice

SS6150

.104" X .047"

The standard "jumbo" size

Modern Fender American® necks

SS6115

.108" x .051"

"Jumbo" wire with more peak

Unique to Warmoth

SS6100

.110" X .057"

A very large wire, almost scalloped feel

Common on Ibanez® necks

Gold Color Fret Wire

Our beautiful gold fretwire is a nickel-free copper alloy similar in color to 12k gold. This top-quality, German-made Jescar EVO wire is solid throughout and will never turn brassy or look worn. It is almost as hard as stainless steel and polishes up nicely for a super-fast, glass-like feel. Rated at HV 250 (+/-20) on the Vickers hardness scale.

NOTE: Our gold fret wire is EVO hypo-allergenic for those that have allergies to nickel.

Item Number

Width X Height

Description

Used By

GD6150

.104" X .047"

Standard "Jumbo" size EVO

Modern Fender® style

GD6100

.110" X .057"

A very large wire, almost scalloped feel

Ibanez® style

Choosing a Fret Wire

Choosing a fret size is easy. Do you like the feel of the frets on your present neck? Would you like more height or less height? Do you press down firmly or lightly on your strings? We've listed some additional information below to help you with your selection.

Player Tips:

Are you tough on your frets? Consider stainless steel.

Concerned about tonal changes? We have not found a significant difference in tonality between stainless steel and nickel/silver fretwire.

Fret size has a great deal to do with the action of your guitar. Low frets put your fingertips right on the fingerboard with little room to squeeze the strings out of tune or to get under them for bending. Tall frets are the opposite. The width of the fret determines the amount of wear that can be expected before leveling and re-crowning is necessary. Wider frets wear longer. Narrow frets wear faster.

While stainless steel and gold fretwire are harder material than nickel/silver, the same fret leveling/dress techniques can still be used. It may take longer to dress, but these harder frets will last much longer than comparable sized nickel/silver frets.